The World According to Greg
by Amanda9
Summary: Sara spends a day with Greg, it’s amazing what you can learn when you didn’t know you were being taught.


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Title: _The World According to Greg_

By: Amanda

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Feedback: sweety167@yahoo.ca

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Rating: PG-13

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Disclaimer: don't own CSI, just playing with them.

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Spoilers: Everything up to _After the Show_ is fair game. 

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Summary: Sara spends a day with Greg, it's amazing what you can learn when you didn't know you were being taught. 

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Completed: January 13, 2004

~*~*~*~*~

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8:08 am.

"Another day, another dollar," Greg Sanders mused to himself as he pulled off the restrictive lad coat and hung in on the near by hanger. "And another opportunity," he smiled, spotting Sara in the hall. "Hey Sara!" he jogged up to the female CSI, smiling brightly. 

"Hi Greg," she looked up at him from her file for only a moment, but never stopped in her strides. 

"Finishing shift?" he quickened his steps to keep up with her long legs. 

She muttered in the affirmative. She had just signed off on the last piece of evidence for the Reco Case, putting it to bed, so she was in fact free until the next shift. 

Greg bounced on his feet, "Got any plans for today?"

"Ah…no," she closed the folder, shrugging and looking over at Greg as if she just realised they were having a conversation. A trait she had been picking up over the last couple of years. "Why?" her brow knotted.

"Wantedtoknowifyou'dspendthedaywithme," he sputtered quickly – all his words melding into one in his excitement and nervousness. A lopsided grin still on his face. 

She opened her mouth to reply, reject actually, but failed to find an excuse. "I can't think of a reason not to," she replied honestly, a half smile breaking on her face, but no real joy behind it. She had been feeling run down for the past month. There was just too many things spinning out on her. 

"Is that a yes?" he perked up. 

"Yes Greg, it's a yes."

"SWEET!" the lab tech squealed, almost leaping in the air, "Just stay here, I'll be right back." He stammered in excitement before he started running down the hall. 

"Greg wait!" Sara called out in sudden urgency, making him stop short in his tracks and turn, barely missing the incoming day shift worker, "This is NOT a date." She pointed to him to punctuate her point. 

"Right, sure. Not a date, got it!" Greg agreed, a bright smile still lighting his ecstatic face as he continued bounding down the hall to the locker room. 

~*~*~*~*~

**__**

8:13 am. 

"Okay Greggo," Sara stood in the parking lot, her arms crossed over her chest, "I'm all yours."

It was the look that lit up Greg's face that clued Sara into just what she said. 

"I…that is not what I ment," she pointed at him again, her face screwed up in regret of her words.

"Of course not," he held up his hands in surrender, but the smirk never left his face. "My Lady," he motioned to an SUV.

"That's my car," she shifted her weight on her hips.

"Uh huh. Unless you'd rather take the mophed…" Greg extended his hand and wiggled his fingered in a silent request for the keys. 

In a sigh, Sara tossed her key ring to the waiting DNA god. She really had no idea why, but blamed in on the exhaustion: emotional, physical and mental. And ever since the lab explosion she found herself slightly more accepting of the guy. 

"Sweet," he caught the flying object with perfect precision and unlocked the passenger side. "After you," he held open the door and let Sara hope in. 

He thought it was all going rather easy, but figured it was better not to question it. Just chalk it up to a good-Greg day. With the happy smirk still on his face, he hopped into the driver's seat: starting the car and the start of Greg day. 

"Did you just see what I think I did?" Nick stopped in the doorway. His mouth agape and eyes following Sara's SUV, more importantly Greg Sanders driving Sara's SUV. 

"I see a lot of crazy things with this job," Warrick quipped, pushing past the shell-shocked Texan. 

"But Sara? Greg?" he shook his head before following his friend and co-worker to their respective cars.

"Jealous?" Warrick raised an eyebrow and suppressed a chuckle at Nick's quick and strong no response. "Okay man, I'll see ya at shift."

"Sara and Greg?" Nick shook his head again before climbing into his own car. It was like the damned Twilight Zone or something. 

~*~*~*~*~

**__**

8:10 am.

Sara couldn't help but feel like she had fallen into an episode of the Twilight zone or something as she watched Greg drive her car. What had even possessed her to agree to spending the day with Greg Sanders? Well, it beat staying awake all by herself in an empty apartment with only her thoughts to keep her company; she reasoned. That and she had cancelled on numerous dinner invitation from the guy so, as she saw it, it was a good way to cover both bases. 

"Where we going?" she inquired.

"All good things to those who wait," he flashed her a smile, but noticing that is wasn't the answer she wanted, he continued, "I'm just going to do what I usually do, only with you."

Sara leaned back against the seat, her face contorted in a look of concentration.

"What?" Greg asked almost anxiously. He never figured she would agree to hang out with him so he never really thought about a plan.

After waiting a beat, just to make him squirm, she replied, "I was wondering if I should be worried." A light-hearted Sara smile cast on her face when she turned back to Greg. It would be interesting to see what the world was like to him, the world outside of the lab. 

He shot her a mock glare and switched on the radio, figuring they would share a similar interest, "Just sit back Sidle and enjoy the ride."

And for the first time in as long as she could remember, Sara really did. She sat back and watched Las Vegas zoom by. She had no DB to get to, no scene to process. She was just free to watch it pass by. It never failed to look dirty, cheesy and fake in daylight, much more than the glittery strip. The manicured lawns and happy family scenario – that was the fake fantasies of Vegas that the CSI found herself encountering. It was all in reality gritty and deadly. She had actually fallen deep enough into her thoughts on the joke of life and Las Vegas that she missed the car stopping. 

"Earth to Sara," Greg waved his hand in her face, "Where's you go on me?" 

"Oh," she looked around slowly as if waking from a dream, "So where are we?" She avoided the question, like she had been tutored to do over the years, when it came to her personal life and self. She's had one hell of a teacher. 

Shrugging slightly Greg hopped out of the car and waited for her. 

"Where are we?" She asked again, flipping her sunglasses on as she looked around. "This place looks familiar," she mused as she followed after the lab tech. 

"It should," Greg replied, walking steadily into the park.

Sara scrunched her forehead in confusion, picking up the pace. What did he mean? "Hey, Greggo, why?"

Greg looked over his shoulder, smirking and shrugging before perching himself on a picnic table waiting for Sara to join him. "Crime scene," he broke the silence suddenly, gesturing to the basketball court several feet in front of them. 

She looked from her companion to the direction of his stare, studying the location. Basketball court. Hit and run. Missing gun. The case was slowly forming together in her mind before looking back at Greg. But how would he know about the scene location? 

"I read the files," he replied as if sensing her question, "I read all the case files." He gave her a tight smile. Not the usual boyish grin, but a sad smile. "Then I like to see it normal. You know, without the yellow tape and a corpse. Like life goes on or something." He was still staring off into space in front of them. 

Sara was taken aback by his open revelation – not that Greg possessed the emotion but that he had them in regards to the job. The same guy that dances to music in the lab and makes bets on the outcomes. "But you never see the vic. Never spend time with them," in true Sara fashion she spoke bluntly, almost defensive of her own profession. 

Greg snorted, "No. I spend eight to eleven hours in a lab with pieces of them. Bits and pieces of the victims and even the ones responsible for putting them there."

She was watching him again. Her own quiet way of apologising that she was wrong. "You do this much?" She was sure he would realise she ment the post-crime visits. 

"A little," he said with a shrug, pausing for a moment to hop down and hand some child back their run-away ball with a smile. "But so does everyone else," he continued to Sara, but not looking at her. She was still studying him, "Brass visits Holly all the time," he didn't see a reason to specify just who Holly was, because everyone knew. And all remembered. "Grissom is always going to a certain golf course, and it's not to work on his swing," a half smile came with that. "And you…" he cautiously began, "You've been known to make regular visits to Havenview."

Despite herself Sara gasped slightly at the secret observations made of herself, "How'd…how do you know that?"

He smiled, slightly brighter now with a sense of pride as he plopped himself back down next to her, "I'm a good observer, be a better CSI."

She shot him a sceptical glare.

"Okay, okay," he held up his hands in surrender, "I over hear a lot at the lab. See a lot too." He was almost dejected at the confession.

Sara smirked with self-satisfaction, then added quickly, "You'd be a good CSI Greg, no doubt."

For the first time since they sat in the park Greg's face split into his wide grin, Sara's comment making his day. "But Grissom doesn't think so," he added, almost whining like a child who's afraid his teacher doesn't like him.

"No, he appreciates you. He just doesn't know how to say it," she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, drifting into a different area of thought. One much more personal, one that she shouldn't allow herself to dwell in any longer. 

"Funny," Greg's voice broke into her head, "I was going to say the same thing to you." He hopped down to his feet again, abruptly, not giving her a chance to react. But in his quick movements he missed the shocked confusion that appeared on her face. 

Sara shook her head a few times, clearing the clutter that Greg's comment had created, and focusing on a new problem at hand: the roaring grumble in her stomach. "Lunch?" she looked hopefully at the lab tech. 

"Actually, I have another lunch date."

"Oh," her face actually fell. Surprisingly she was enjoying the company of the strange lab rat, and felt dejected by the idea of Greg not wanting to spend the whole day with her. Even if she would swear up and down that she found his constant flirting annoying, she like the attention. She was human after all. "O-Kay."

"No, I want you to come along," he replied, animatedly grabbing her arm and pulling her off the bench and to her feet. 

Her sceptical eyes greeting him again as she regained her footing.

"Oh come on," Greg pulled Sara's arm again, successfully dragging her along after him, "It'll be my treat and tell you what, I'll even let you drive." Cheerfully he tossed her keys to her over the shoulder, which she fumbled to catch. 

~*~*~*~*~

**__**

12:04 pm. 

"I knew you were juvenile, but cursing High Schools?" Sara quipped as she parked the SUV in front of the stone building of academia. But Greg had already flown from the vehicle and made his way to the chain link fence, seeming to scan the crowd spilling from the doors. 

With her shrug and sigh, Sara followed him. 

Being the true observer that she is, she found herself categorising the whole scene. A high school. Roughly a hundred and fifty students were waiting on campus. Had to be around noon, give or take a few minuets. And painfully daylight. 

"Max!" she heard Greg cry happily. She turned in time to see a boy, roughly fifteen years old, walk over to the spunky lab tech; getting his hair ruffled for his troubles.

"Greg," the kid pushed away the hand: A move to keep his cool, even if he was smiling. 

The lab rat moved to put his arm around the boy's shoulders as he veered him toward Sara, "Sara Sidle I want you to meet Max Ferris." Greg bumped Max forward with his shoulder, initiating the young man to greet the woman. 

"Hey," staring down at his shuffling feet, Max extended his hand.

With an eyebrow raised Sara replied to the greeting, shaking hands with him. 

"Is she the one you work with?" the mini-Greg asked, slowly dragging his eyes over the woman and over to Greg himself, who blushed slightly and nodded. 

Sara gave a beaming smile, her smile, as a bit of a laugh to Greg. When she was doing her job she despised being looked at as a woman, but occasionally being a normal girl was good too. 

"I'm Max's Big Brother," Greg pulled the boy into a playful headlock, partially for fun, partially as revenge. The pair rough-housed for a few moments before regaining themselves and remembering Sara was standing there. "Lunch?" Greg smiled sheepishly, running his hands through his hair to reorganise it. 

Sara just laughed, nodding. 

True to his word Greg paid for lunch. The three of them were occupying an outdoor table at a fast food franchise. Although grease wasn't one of her favourites Sara was content with her French Fries and root beer. Greg and Max also seemed pleased. 

"What's up for the afternoon?" Greg prodded, shovelling fries into his mouth. 

The teen groaned, rolling his eyes, "Science test."

"What's wrong with science?" he asked between chewing.

"It's stupid," Max replied quickly, swallowing bites of hamburger, "Science is stupid and boring."

"Blasphemy!" Greg slammed his hand on the table. The paper carton cups jumped but few others seemed to notice, since Sara looked around ready to apologise for the outburst. But apparently in a court full of students a little yelling is common place. 

"How can you say science is stupid?" Greg continued his rant. A defence of all things he was, "You think something stupid could get you hot chicks?!" He put his arm around Sara's waist, pulling her over to him, "Right Sara?"

Caught off guard by the whole sudden inclusion into the conversation, the CSI choked on her pop, "Ah, um, yeah, right." She smiled for their benefit. "Scientists are sexy," She purred, leaning against Greg and flashing her Sara-smile at Max. 

"Yeah," Greg's voice actually squeaked, but he quickly regained himself. Clearing his throat he continued, "And really neat facts."

"Neat facts?" Max repeated sceptically. 

"Oh yeah," Sara pulled herself back into sitting position, "Knowing all those facts is smart…and smart is sexy!" She punctuated her statement by popping fries into her mouth and winking at the teenaged boy. 

"So this science stuff'll get me chick?" Max started to piece their argument together.

"Cause it'll make you smart," Greg leaned forward on the table, over eager to convince him. 

The boy seemed to think it over before agreeing to allow the lab tech to help him study. Which he did with a proud smile and matching enthusiasm; he was happier to be there than finding the case breaking result. Sara could see it in his face as she watched them. She herself was smiling; unaware of how warming it really was, just seeing one of _them_, Greg, working so diligently and contentedly on something that didn't involve death. It really was just nice to see pieces of life outside of the yellow tape and away from the labs. It gave her hope for life of her own. 

"I think you're all set," Greg's voice broke into Sara's thoughts again as he closed the large orange textbook. 

"Thanks Greg," Max was packing up his things to head back to school, and his test, "Ah, you too Sara."

"Good luck," she smiled as he started leaving. 

"Yeah, break a leg!" Greg still had his enthusiasm, "Page me later, let me know how it went." He waved, continuing encouragement to the student. 

"So what made _you_ become a Big Brother?" Sara couldn't help but ask as soon as the little brother was gone.

Greg shrugged, "I just wanna feel like I'm helping someone."

"But you're always helping someone," her tone was slightly scolding, "with all the lab-work."

"I guess," he smiled sadly, "But I never really see the results like all you guys. At least with Max I see it. It's real" He nodded thoughtfully, as if now he was the one lost in thoughtful revere. 

"I want ice cream?" Sara announced out of no where, by-passing the emotional moment, "Come on Greg, my treat!" She smiled at him, jumping to her feet with sudden energy.

"Do I get a cherry on top?" a wicked grin spread on his face as he stood next to her. 

"Don't push it!" she fought a grin at his enduring childishness. 

~*~*~*~*~

**__**

1:30 pm. 

The unlikely pair then found themselves sitting on the hood of Sara's SUV, enjoying their frozen treats and the comfortable silence. Greg had directed them again to a highly populated area away from the strip, just to feed off the living energy. Sara found that this new practice made her feel better, to see the other side. In contrast to all the death she was used to.

"Do you think about the lab explosion?" the question came suddenly as he had abandoned the cone in his hand.

"Not as much now," she replied between licks, her stomach still experiencing that drop sensation at the memory.

"I'm sorry," Greg didn't look at her.

"Sorry for what?" she snapped at him, turning to look at him too, "It wasn't your fault." She thought about painting out the blame on Catherine but thought it better to bite her tongue at that moment. She also wondered why he would blame himself for what almost killed him…and her. And possible the whole floor. "Blaming yourself isn't going to do any good. It was just one of those horrible things that happen." In fact Sara was rather pleased with her personal reassurance. 

Greg's face twitched as he turned to face her now, "In that case, the same thing goes for you and Suzanna Kirkwood. It wasn't your fault."

The strong Sara Sidle turned away quickly, hiding the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. Even after all these weeks, it still stung her, it still hurt. And that all showed in the bite of her voice, "I certainly didn't help her."

Unsure if he should, Greg reached out to touch her shoulder. His voice soft and comfortable, "Sara, do all my little lab tests help…" he waited for her to face him, her eyes shinny and tinged red. He continued, "then what you do makes all the difference in the world."

She wiped away the rogue tears from her cheeks, unable to hide them now.

"I mean it Sara," he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him again, "and I think you know it too." He felt her relax slightly against him, so he felt it was as good as time as any to prod into the next part of her…pain. "Some things just happen…and other things just take a lot longer to. And those are the good things. Either one isn't your fault." He patted her arm and sat back up, allowing Sara her independence. He just hoped she got the message, no matter how cryptic it seemed. "Okay?" he offered her a smile.

"Yeah," she gave him a small smile and wiped the remaining wetness from her face. A small laugh followed, a laugh more toward herself than anything else. "I think okay is definitely how I am."

"Good," he smiled brightly, "Wouldn't want our first date to leave you scared for life."

Sara laughed wholeheartedly now, "This isn't a date." She shot at him, sliding off the hood. 

"Right," he smiled as he slide down next to her, "forgot."

She punched him in the shoulder, the same way she would with Nick. After the friendly interaction they stood there for a moment, awkwardly shifting on their feet as they waited for the 'what next'.

"I'm gonna try to catch some sleep," Sara spoke first, "I hear that that's good for you." She play-shrugged, getting a little laugh from the lab tech.

"Grissom'd be proud," he teased.

"You know I aim to please," she played along, "Can I drive you home? To the lab?" she offered, fishing her keys out of her pocket. 

"Naw," he looked around the area, it was a beautiful day, "I think I'll walk or something. Not tired."

The CSI nodded at this, as if she understood, "Then I guess I'll see you at shift." 

He nodded this time. 

Quickly and surprising them both Sara pulled the guy into a hug, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, "You know, for a lab rat, you're not half bad."

"Ah, thanks," he was left slacked jawed as she hopped back into her car, preparing for the drive to her apartment and her bed. "See you Greggo!"

~*~*~*~*~

**__**

10:48 pm. 

"Sanders," Nick's bellow greeting Greg as he stepped into the break room, "Okay, Spill it!"

"The coffee?" Greg questioned, holding up the pot that he was holding, "Just making a fresh one."

"No, no," he shook his head, making room for Warrick who just entered, empty-cup in hand, "Did you have a date with Sara today?"

"Again with the jealous rant," Warrick added in his velvet voice.

"I'm not jealous," the Texan defended again, "I'm just concerned about out lab friend here," he put his arm around the other man's shoulder, getting a nervous look from him, to illustrate his point, "for when Grissom finds out."

"When Grissom finds out what?" the entomologist entered on cue, drawn by the promise of Blue Hawaiian. He looked at the group from over his lenses, assessing them as he usually did. 

"Oh man," Warrick mumbled, slouching farther down into his chair.

Grissom continued his silent questioning. 

"Ah," Nick cleared his throat, he was almost as nervous of the Boss as Greg seemed to be, "Sanders and Sara…" he let that just drift off, unable to continue under the raised eyebrow-stare of his supervisor. 

"What about me?" Sara came bounding into the room, on the same cue that Grissom had received, fully energised and rested – by passing the line for coffee and dropping herself into a chair.

"Seems Nicky is all worried about out little _date_ today," Greg spoke directly to the only female present, ducking out of both Nick and Grissom's reach. 

"Oh," she laughed, gaining everyone's full attention. "It wasn't a date, Greg just taught me a few things," she smiled. 

They weren't satisfied with that, in fact they were even more curious.

She leaned back in her chair, considering lifting her legs up onto the table, but thinking better of it, "He taught me that some things just happen, at no fault of your own," she smiled at Greg. His little talk really had made her feel better. She needed to hear that. "And that the good things just take a little longer to happen." She chanced a look up at Grissom, a hidden-knowing smile on her lips. The pair locked eyes for a moment before they were forced to look away from the sheer intimacy.

"Well, ah, yes," Grissom cleared his throat, it suddenly feeling very tight and dry, "On that wisdom, the night's assignments?" He held up a stack of paper slips.

Sara looked down at her hands, unable to lose the smile on her face. Life was one of those things that happened without fault, and sometimes it just takes a little longer to get going. 

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: my very first CSI fic. Go me! lol. Please R&R, I need critical feedback.   



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